Poker may be the pastime of the moment, but an invaluable law enforcement tool?
Indeed, officials in Southwest Florida are initiating an innovative method of crime-fighting that banks on the popularity of poker. A line of poker cards is in the works based on the cards developed by the federal government as a measure to catch war criminals. Instead of war criminals, however, these poker cards will bear the photos of 52 victims of unsolved crimes perpetrated in Southwest Florida.

Instead of distributing these unique cards to the public, local law enforcement officials will hand them out to convicts only. The authorities are using these cards as a tool for encouraging conversation among inmates during poker games, in the hope that, through informal conversation, new information will arise.

While the effectiveness of poker as a method of fighting crime may seem far-fetched, a test run has proved otherwise. While playing with the cards, an inmate recognized a victim on one of the cards. The inmate then reported what he knew to Crime Stoppers, a move that then led to the arrests of two individuals. The cards help further the notion that poker is much more than just a game.

Source:  Poker777 Staff

Friday, 24 February 2006